By Sarah Batley
Access to lakes, rivers and bays is something kiwis take for granted.
But many of our waterways are off limits to the public.
Property titles can cut across riverbeds, creating a web of no-go zones in our best fishing spots.
Nelson fisherman, David Haynes, left the UK six years ago because he was fed up with the tight restrictions on where he could fish.
He now fears New Zealand is going the same way:
“I do know of a couple of fellows who have accessed at a public access point and walked down a river and been served a trespass notice and marched off the land.”
But Wero Karena, whose iwi leases parts of the Taruarau River to private companies, says the public must respect the rights of owners to manage their land.
He also believes that restricting access plays an important role in preserving the fishing resource.
Concern about the creeping privatisation of our waterways can also be found around New Zealand bays.
Auckland sailor, Tom Miller, says the Auckland Regional Council is giving out mooring consents too freely which in turn restricts where other boatowners can moor.
“One of the worst aspects of it is the number of empty moorings that are there. There are 19 unoccupied moorings [on Waiheke] which shows the complete and total inefficiency of the one-mooring-one-boat rule.”
However, residents on Waiheke say private moorings, like car parks, are vital.
Confusion over access to our waterways may stem from the idea of a Queen’s Chain, which many New Zealanders believe grants public access to waterways.
The concept was never put into law but the idea became an enduring part of New Zealand culture.
The Land Access Walking Commission has been set up to negotiate better access for the public, but it has no powers to enforce any decisions.